 Students take an on-site tour of an architectural project
Students at a career fair listen intently as speakers present information
Ames High team completes their Ideal Object
 Ames High School team's Ideal Object
Team Cakewaves shows off their cabinet system for the Ideal Object Workshop.
Cakewaves' Cabinet Ideal Object
That Team From Grinnell's garage tool system.
Ames Middle School team designed and
built an all-purpose chair for a bathroom.
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The Architecture in the Schools program is a comprehensive statewide program helping build awareness, understanding and appreciation of the built environment through the education process. The AIS program accomplishes this through student career days, curriculum development, and staff development classes. In past years, staff development classes have been implemented across Iowa to show teachers how to use their local built environment to enhance students understanding of architecture and their world. "Houses Have History: Integrating Architectural Heritage and Curriculum" features architects and historians as the speakers for walking tours, site tours, and presentations. These classes reached over 600 teachers in the last five years. The "Math and Science of Architecture" staff development class got teachers involved in hands-on activities that tested structures and expanded the understanding of why buildings stand up.
The Ideal Object
Inspired by the Des Moines Art Center’s exhibition Tom Sachs: Logjam, the Art Center partnered with the Iowa Architectural Foundation to produce an educational workshop specifically for Students for a Creative Iowa this summer. Four teams in total participated, with each team playing two roles—that of a designer/contractor and that of a client. As the designer/contractor, each team built an object for a room in a house that addressed three requests of their client (which was another team in the workshop). In an effort to maximize success, teams were armed with ample budgets and the guidance of an architect and a contractor to help them achieve their visions. The teams’ "Ideal Objects" were unveiled at a celebratory event on August 12 and the work was exhibited in the Adrienne and Charles Herbert Galleries in the Des Moines Art Center from August 12 – September 26, 2007.
Participating Teams:
“Cakewaves” -- West Des Moines
Cakewaves designed an object for the kitchen which they titled Extreme Clean Machine 2000. Ames Middle School was their client and asked that the object have the ability to clean, play music, and store items.
“Ames Middle School” -- Ames
Ames Middle School designed an object for the bathroom. That Team from Grinnell was their client and asked that the object have the ability to dry, weigh, play music, and include distinct primping areas for boys and girls.
“That Team from Grinnell” -- Grinnell
That Team from Grinnell designed an object for the garage. Ames High School was their client and asked that the object incorporate a workbench with built-in tools, an additional area for tool storage, and a means of stopping a car.
“Ames High School” -- Ames
Ames High School designed an object for the bedroom. Cakewaves was their client and asked that the object have the ability to store items, help them fall asleep, and include a homework station.
Left, are images of the resulting procucts designed by the students.
Other AIS program resources:
- "ArchiText" is a collection of over 40 lesson plans, put together by AIS, on the built environment for grades K-12 that is available for purchase
- Planning Career seminars on "Architecture and other design-related careers" held annually in Des Moines and Iowa City
- Assisting educators with walking tours or classroom resources
- Providing resources for educators on architecture and curriculum materials.
- Providing the "History and Architectural Heritage of Des Moines" activity book for every third grade student in Des Moines Public Schools
- Coming Soon: "Designing for Natural Disasters" curricula
For additional resources, please call 515.244.1888.
Thanks again for your generous support in 2007:
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